


We're Dancing in the Dark

by talesfromthesnogbox



Series: Stranger Prompts [3]
Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Aged-Up Character(s), Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Tumblr Prompt
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-22
Updated: 2018-02-22
Packaged: 2019-03-22 11:17:21
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,886
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13762989
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/talesfromthesnogbox/pseuds/talesfromthesnogbox
Summary: Mike used to wake up every morning waiting to hear El's voice, but shortly after she's broken his heart, he's dreading even thinking about seeing her. But weddings are about true love... will Joyce and Hopper's wedding bring true love back together?Based on a tumblr prompt for Mileven dancing at a Jopper wedding, sorry I took it into my own hands and added an angsty twist! Title based on Ed Sheeran's "Perfect", please listen it's so good.





	We're Dancing in the Dark

**Author's Note:**

> Hello! Hope you're all ready for some teen angst cause I've got loads of it here, trust me. This is based on an anonymous prompt from tumblr, the prompt is "Ahh a Jopper wedding(Mike as El’s date to it)". Okay, so I totally went away from that, yes, this is a Jopper wedding fic, buuuuuuut, I got a little carried away because I have literally wanted to write this into a Jopper wedding fic for like weeks and haven't had the excuse to and now I do. Hope you don't mind I put my own little spin on it Nonny! Anyways, enough of my carrying on, enjoy the fic, drop me a comment if you like it, send me a prompt if you feel like it!

“Michael! We’re going to be late, hurry up!” Karen yelled up as she ushered the rest of the family into the car.

 

“Okay mom, just a minute!” He still couldn’t seem to get the tie right, even at seventeen. Maybe it was the excitement of the day; Joyce and Hopper had danced around their feelings for years and they were finally tying the knot, but maybe it was the dread of seeing _her_.

 

El.

 

It had been nearly five months since they’d broken up, and surprisingly, it was easier than Mike imagined it would be to avoid her. He wouldn’t say that their breakup was _messy_ , well, aside from his tearstained cheeks and slightly damp t-shirt after it happened, but they didn’t exactly become best friends, or even hang out after it happened either.

 

_“I need space, Mike. I don’t even know who I am without you.” Her words haunted him._

_“But is that really a bad thing? We belong together, El, I love you.”_

_“I know, but everything I like is because you showed it to me. I need know who I am… away from you.”_

 

He shivered, remembering how they both cried and went their separate ways. Even though her and Will were now technically siblings, and had been living together for nearly a year, she didn’t come down whenever he was over. She hung out with Max and the rest of the party, and it looks like she made friends with a few of the girls in her classes, but only gave Mike sad smiles in the hallway, occasionally shooting him a “hey”.

 

Mike’s door opened, and Nancy shot him a sympathetic look. “Come on, face the music little brother.”

 

* * *

 

The ceremony was beautiful. Nancy cried, and so did Jonathan standing beside Jim as his best man. El cried too beside Joyce as her Maid of Honour. He knew they were happy tears, but he had to physically resist the urge to go hold her like he did as she broke up with him.

 

After the ceremony, the guests were whisked away to a hall for the reception. It was incredible; Jim went all out for his blushing bride surprising everyone at how romantic it all was. Joyce was the picture of elegance in her white gown beside her new husband adorning a crisp black tux, but El was the star of the show for Mike. She looked beautiful in the simple blue dress, her soft curls flowing freely. He felt like if he stopped staring at her, she’d suddenly disappear, and the thought terrified him.

 

Like at the Snow Ball all those years ago, he sat back and watched his friends dance. The party was great, it looked like everyone was having the time of their lives, but Mike wasn’t in the mood to celebrate love when he still felt so heartbroken.

 

Then, he heard it.

 

The first few notes from the speakers were unmistakable, that song that so many people had labeled as “creepy” or “stalker-esque” (and yeah, it kind of was), but it held a special place in his heart.

 

It was _their_ song.

 

Before he knew what he was doing, his feet were propelling him forward, towards her.

 

“E-El?”

 

She turned and smiled. “Mike.”

 

“I know we’re not… but can I have this dance?”

 

El nodded and placed her hands on his shoulders like he’d shown her all those years ago, and suddenly, they were dancing. All the anxiety and the sadness melted away as her smile reached her eyes and her eyes met his. He pulled her closer to whisper in her ear. “I miss you.”

 

She sighed, and Mike braced himself for the words he knew would only break his heart further. “I miss you too, I’ve missed this a lot.”

 

His heart pounded in his chest. Was he hearing things? Or did she really just say that?

 

Mike must have been dreaming, or completely spaced out, because she stood on tiptoe and kissed his cheek lightly. “I love you, Mike.”

 

Red flashed beneath his eyelids, and he knew he had to distance himself before he got hurt even more. She loved him, sure, but they’d broken up, and he knew she’d say it was just as friends. “I—I can’t do this.” He stuttered, walking out of the hall to get some fresh air.

 

Mike paced outside the door, trying to calm himself down when he heard her calling after him.

 

“Mike, Mike wait, please.” El joined him, but he couldn’t look at her.

 

“Can you just give me a minute El?”

 

“For what, Mike?” She touched his shoulder, but he immediately shrugged it off.

 

“So I can gear myself up to have my heart broken again.” His words were bitter and unforgiving, and they stung El like a bee.

 

“Mike, I-I’m sorry. I needed to find myself, I didn’t think—”

 

“Ellie, I’m in _love_ with you, I know we’re only seventeen, but I was ready to spend the rest of my life with you. I thought maybe that could be us in there someday. You didn’t think… you didn’t think _what_ , that I was serious about us? That you were just some stupid _crush_? You’re my everything, I thought we’d be together forever, and what you did came out of _nowhere_.”

 

“Mike—”

 

“No please, just let me finish. I know it was totally selfish of me to get mad at you for wanting to find yourself, but that _hurt_ Ellie. It hurt like a bitch. For a while I wondered if you’d _ever_ loved me, or if you were only with me because we rescued you and you didn’t know any better. I can’t even begin to explain how awful that felt.” He didn’t even realize he was crying until he felt her shaky hand wipe a tear from his cheek.

 

“Mike, I’m sorry.”

 

“You said that already.”

 

Her eyes dropped to her feet. “I know. But really, I am. I didn’t know you felt like that. It hurt me just as much as it hurt you, but I needed that break. I… I learned so much about who I am, and my family, my mama and Aunt Becky. Dad helped me get answers, I feel better, Mike. I can control my powers better, my emotions. You know what the most important thing I learned was though?”

 

“What?” He spat angrily.

 

“How much I missed you and how much I really love you.”

 

He looked at her with a frown on his face.

 

“I should have told you before I broke up with you what I wanted, I really messed up Mike.”

 

“So this is the part where you tell me you just want to be friends, right?” Mike’s words once again stung her. It was fear in his voice she could detect.

 

“I love you, Mike. I’m _in_ love with you. Learning about who I am didn’t change that.” El wrapped her arms around his waist and breathed him in, that familiar scent she’d missed so much.

 

“Ellie— please…”

 

“I mean it Mike. I want this, I’m ready… but only if you’ll have me back.” Her voice was quiet, but he could tell that every word she uttered was the absolute truth.

 

Mike’s hands snaked up her arms, one landed on her shoulder, but the other continued until he was cupping her cheek. His eyes searched hers, looking for any ounce of doubt, and finding nothing, only longing.

 

He blinked, once… twice… breathing her in, before moving in closer to her. He moved excruciatingly slowly, giving her time to back out if she so pleased. Their noses bumped, he could feel her warm breath on his lips, and his eyes fluttered shut. Her breathing picked up, and she inhaled sharply as his lips grazed hers ever so slightly, still giving her a chance to back away. She didn’t.

 

Instead, she pressed forward, joining their lips for the first time in months.

 

Mike saw fireworks behind his eyelids as they kissed slowly in the moonlight. Everything inside him was simultaneously screaming for joy and warning him not to get hurt again, but this time, joy took over. He pulled her closer, until they were practically one person, and a small smile drew across his lips, still connected to hers.

 

“God I’ve missed that.” He whispered against her lips, not yet wanting to open his eyes.

 

“So… will you take me back Mike?”

 

Finally, he opened his eyes to meet hers. “Of course I will, Ellie. You mean the world to me, I love you so, _so_ much—” Mike didn’t get to finish his sentence as El jumped into his arms, pressing a soft kiss to his lips.

 

_I found a love for me. Darling just dive right in and follow my lead._

 

The soft music came from inside the hall, and Mike swayed as her feet returned to the floor.

 

“Mike, dance with me again?”

 

He nodded and led her back to the dance floor where the other couples swayed.

 

_Cause we were just kids when we fell in love_  
_Not knowing what it was._  
_I will not give you up this time._  
_But darling, just kiss me slow_  
_Your heart is all I own  
_ _And in your eyes you’re holding mine._

 

Mike pulled El closer than he thought possible and hummed the song in her ear, closing his eyes, feeling the moment.

 

He didn’t notice the rest of the crowd watching them closely. The rest of the world was the last thing on Mike’s mind as he held the girl of his dreams once more in his arms.

 

Max nudged Lucas as they danced close to the couple. “They broke up months ago, when did this happen?”

 

Lucas could only shrug, having no real explanation for their change of heart. “I made a joke about him proposing to her when she first popped up, now I don’t think that’s far off. They… they really love each other, don’t they?”

 

_We are still kids but we’re so in love_  
_Fighting against all odds_  
_I know we’ll be alright this time._  
_Darling just hold my hand_  
_Be my girl, I’ll be your man  
_ _I see my future in your eyes._

_Baby, I’m dancing in the dark_  
With you between my arms.  
_Barefoot on the grass_  
_Listening to our favourite song._  
_When I saw you in that dress_  
_Looking so beautiful_  
_I don’t deserve this  
_ _Darling, you look perfect tonight._

The two of them swayed with the music, breathing each other in on the most romantic night they’d shared yet. El pulled her head away from Mike’s shoulder to look him in the eyes. It was as if fate had brought them together, and although they’d never admit it to anyone _ever_ , they were made for each other… they were each other’s soulmates and they belonged together.

 

“I love you.” She whispered to him, watching his cheeks redden, and a smile spread across his face.

 

Mike leaned in to whisper in her ear. “I’m so happy to have you back. I love you so much.” He kissed her cheek, then pressed the sweetest kiss to her lips.

 

All eyes were on them, swaying in the middle of the dance floor, but they didn’t notice. Mike and El were in their own little bubble, and it was perfect.


End file.
